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Coastal Vacation 2011

I miss the smell of salt in the air! It’s been a little hard to motivate since coming back from vacation to days of rain with occasional sunshine, and no ocean. Our first official week back is over and we haven’t gotten into a routine yet. Oh well! I’m still in vacation mode.

This year we had perfect weather the entire week, and hit the beach every day after breakfast with my loves. I love being at the beach nice and early with the family, it’s such a great day way to start our day!

Beachin’ it!

In the afternoons, we would head back for lunch and showers then take off along the coast exploring. We took the kids to the Dinosaur Place one day (the only overcast afternoon) and then we hit the Mohegan Sun casino for lunch. How I have missed that place! The kids were mesmerized with all the colors and sounds!

Fun at the Mohegan Sun

I ate A LOT last week on vacation too. Did a couple of runs to try to balance it out but for the most part I got my seafood on daily!

Some coastal views on my run. I wish I took more!

So, other than the beach there was also the SEAFOOD! We hit up the Lobster Landing (a favorite place of ours!), had bluefish at the casino, oysters a few nights from Narragansett and Duxbury at the casino and at Dock and Dine on the water (definitely enjoyed the Duxbury, MA oysters more), scallops, shrimp, crab cakes (so good!) and fresh salmon and cod. Lots of wine. I was in Heaven!

Except that one trip to the ER..

Thank you Essex Train for making me pay extra to sit in an open car behind the engine only to have ash go in my eyes five minutes into the train ride, and then leave an ash full of chemicals that about made my eyeball explode for the entire train ride (an hour). Oh, and the surface corneal abrasions from all the blinking. Total cost of that ride, $120. Ugh! Talk about painful. Although, I have to say Middlesex Shoreline Medical Center‘s emergency care center down the road was AMAZING.

Although that was very well the worst train ride ever for myself, the kids still enjoyed it. I managed to hold it together right up until the train stop and I took off running for the car for ice pack relief! (Yes, I have an ER kit in there!).

After that we continued on to get my favorite lobster rolls on the east coast while I wore shades and a hat keep from the brightness of the sun. Oh, and the zillion of tissues I used for the watering eyes. It took about a good 36 hours for the swelling to go down, and about a week for the blur in my vision to return. I just stopped with the eye drops. Craziness!

Lobster Landing in Clinton, CT

Regardless though, it was an awesome vacation. I love the Connecticut coast, going there just really makes me miss living in the area. The Long Island Sound is perfect for the kids to splash around in. They made friends. Ice cream truck showed up daily. There was even a field day for them to participate in!

Day and night, we just really enjoyed being together without the distractions of every day life. Not to mention the sunsets. There is nothing like a coastal sunset. Looking forward to next year!

Sunset in Old Saybrook

PS I wish I got a family photo but someone whose name begins with an “N” wouldn’t cooperate with the wanting of a family photo, please, please! We will buy you ice cream! Gah!